TRAM d’Alacant. 20 years closer to you

On 15 August 2003, the first phase of the current TRAM d’Alacant network came into service, connecting at that time the Porta del Mar and El Campello stops.

After 20 years of operation, the TRAM d’Alacant network has evolved to consolidate itself as a modern, sustainable and accessible reference tramway system that has been very well received by the people of Alicante and the many thousands of tourists who visit Alicante every year and use the TRAM as a means of transport for their journeys.

In these two decades, TRAM d’Alacant has transported nearly 140 million users and has put into circulation 2,366,649 tram and rail services, which has allowed FGV units in the province of Alicante to travel 46,480,750 kilometres, equivalent to 1,162 trips around the world.

Network evolution

Prior to the start-up of this first line, on 17 March 1999, a first tramway section between Puerta del Mar and La Albufereta was put into service on a trial basis. A Combino tram travelled the 3,500 metres of this tramway line.

On 15 August 2003 the TRAM d’Alacant began to provide a service between the stations of Porta del Mar in Alicante and El Campello, with 16 stops and a route of more than 12 kilometres.

Together with the investment made in the line itself by the Generalitat, the redevelopment of more than 30,000 square metres of spaces near and bordering the current route is noteworthy as part of the project.

Since 15 August 2003, several dates have marked the evolution of the TRAM d’Alacant. On 10 May 2007, a new section between La Isleta and Mercado, and the inauguration of the underground stations of Mercado and Marq (today Marq-Castillo) came into service, making it possible to extend tramway services to Alicante city centre. A month later, the first phase of the branch line to Cabo de las Huertas, corresponding to Line 4, was inaugurated.

29 July 2007 marked an important step forward in the TRAM d’Alacant project. That same year the El Campello workshops also came into service. Line 1 connected the stations of Mercado and Creueta, in La Vila-Joiosa. The frequency extension of this line on 25 January 2007 and the extension to Benidorm on 2 June 2008 led to a significant increase in passengers.

In December 2009, the Line 4 loop was inaugurated to provide service to different areas of Cabo de las Huertas and Playa de San Juan.

In June 2010 the Luceros underground station was opened to the public, the current head of Lines 1, 2, 3 and 4, so that the TRAM reached the very heart of Alicante.

In September 2013, Line 2 was inaugurated between Luceros station and the Sant Vicent del Raspeig stop, which has meant a qualitative and quantitative increase in the service provided by the TRAM d’Alacant, as this line has become the most used.

Once the Serra Grossa tunnel works were completed, Line 5 linking Porta del Mar and Playa de San Juan was put into service in June 2019.

In recent years, as well as at present, the modernisation works of Line 9 (Benidorm-Dénia), already in service since January 2023, continue.

Innovative rolling stock

The development of the TRAM d’Alacant network is closely linked to the implementation of the first Spanish TRAM-trains, built by Vossloh, currently Stadler at its factory in Albuixech.

The TRAM-trains began to operate at the end of 2006 on the Alicante-El Campello section and later reached Benidorm.

The TRAM-trains are the first vehicles of these characteristics to circulate in Spain, making Alicante a reference in terms of tram and rail public transport, due to their capacity to perform mixed services, both urban or suburban and commuter services, being able to circulate on tram infrastructure lines as trams and on rail infrastructure lines as commuter trains, with top speeds of up to 100 km/h.

Along with the incorporation of the nine TRAM-trains, Bombardier Transportation Spain, S.A., now Alstom, built 30 tram units for Valencia and Alicante.

In order to cope with the arrival of the new units and the new sections in service, in 2007 the company opened the Alicante TRAM depots and workshops, located in the municipality of El Campello.

The FLEXITY tram is based on a proven modular technology characterised by a 100% low-floor interior, which offers excellent travel performance and increased passenger comfort. With a length of 32.5 metres, each tram consists of five modules.

In 2020 FGV incorporated the new dual trains for Line 9 (Benidorm-Dénia). These dual trains, which combine electric and diesel propulsion, have been manufactured by Stadler Rail Valencia at its Albuixech plant.

These new units have an updated design and technical characteristics in accordance with current regulations and are compatible with the use of state-of-the-art security, control and communications systems.